Although I know everyone took a large, collective dump on Running Wild's last album, anyone interested in his new band Giant X? There's a song in this article. Doesn't sound amazing, but decent enough. Kind of short if you take away the sample at the beginning.

Been jamming Deceptor (UK) a bunch lately which I happened upon from the SK bandcamp page. You guys heard this stuff? Thrashy heavy metal I guess, there's a lot of mid tempo stuff that keeps me from just calling it thrash. Soothsayer EP is pretty rad and actually has a little blasting but I really like the track from the new album SK has up on their page.

Can't say I agree with that at all. I'd say they clearly peaked with The Longest Night. Be Gone is alright, though not nearly as good on the whole it has its moments. Bury the Light is wanky and clunky and boring as fuck.

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iamntbatman wrote:

manowar are literally five times the band that fates warning are: each member is as good as fates warning alone, then joey's bass solos are like an entire extra fates warning

ShadeOfDarkness - I also REALLY recommend Manilla Road. Check out The Deluge or Voyager for an excellent heavier PM.

Hmm, I don't know. I listened through some tracks from Voyager, and now I'm checking out some stuff from The Deluge, and I just don't know if I'm gonna be able to get into this. This stuff is weird as hell, haha. I just want something a little more straight forward, and with somewhat more gruff vocals. I'm also noticing that I'm missing some faster riffs here, and I didn't really like the production on either of these albums.

Shades: Try the album "Open the Gates", the riffs and such are a bit more straight-forward. Mark does his gruff vocals and it's cool. If you want something a bit faster and thrashier, try "Out of the Abyss". The production on "Open the Gates" is pretty murky.

ShadeOfDarkness - I also REALLY recommend Manilla Road. Check out The Deluge or Voyager for an excellent heavier PM.

Hmm, I don't know. I listened through some tracks from Voyager, and now I'm checking out some stuff from The Deluge, and I just don't know if I'm gonna be able to get into this. This stuff is weird as hell, haha. I just want something a little more straight forward, and with somewhat more gruff vocals. I'm also noticing that I'm missing some faster riffs here, and I didn't really like the production on either of these albums.

Maybe I'm just not getting it or something...

Don't give up just yet.

For me, I recommend the 1983-1987 albums mostly. That would be: Crystal Logic, Open The Gates, The Deluge, Mystification. Mystification is actually my favorite, tied with Crystal Logic.

Ok there was a band I was looking at a while back that had a skeleton wearing a Native American Headdress on one of the album covers. Anyone know the band? I thought I wrote the name down but I cant seem to find it.

Got the new Arkham Witch in last night (next day shipping from SKR) and I'm pretty thrilled with it, although obviously it's brand new and all opinions are subject to change. It honestly sounds like The Lamp of Thoth playing a little drunker and faster. If that sounds appealing to you in any way you're probably gonna want to snag this one. Iron Shadows in the Moon is definitely my favorite track so far. That chorus is drool-worthy.

Any opinions on Witch Cross' Fit For Fight? Every review I can find seems laudatory. Been eyeing it up in the SKR shop.

Got the new Arkham Witch in last night (next day shipping from SKR) and I'm pretty thrilled with it, although obviously it's brand new and all opinions are subject to change. It honestly sounds like The Lamp of Thoth playing a little drunker and faster. If that sounds appealing to you in any way you're probably gonna want to snag this one. Iron Shadows in the Moon is definitely my favorite track so far. That chorus is drool-worthy.

Speaking of The Lamp of Thoth and being drunk, did you happen to laugh uncontrollably during the final, untitled track, too?

Maaaan that's one of their all-time greatest songs, I thought re-recording it as an acoustic/solo track was pretty hilarious. I was actually in the car on the way back from lunch when it came on. Very pleased.

Alright guys. I have tried to get into Manilla Road for I guess 2 days now, and I'm sorry, but I just can't do it. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I feel that MR is kind of a "smart metal" band. Not necessarily that technical, but smart nonetheless. I will remember this for a later time though, and I'm pretty sure I'll get into them one day, but for now, I need something more straight-forward, and more simple in a way. I wish I could explain that better, but it's hard to put my finger on it.

Nah, don't like it. I don't want epic stuff like this, I want stuff similar to the likes of Grave Digger and Paragon. That's the kind of stuff I am looking for, and also keep in mind that I've looked through the similar artist pages for a good deal of these bands, including the two aforementioned, as well as Running Wild and Rage I believe. I can't remember if I did it with Iron Savior or not, but oh well. That's at least the stuff I want, not this...

Surprised you're just now jumping on Powersurge, they were one I somehow stumbled upon years ago here. Great stuff for the most part, even Gutterscream approves! I thought I had a review up for that album but maybe it was one of my ancient ones I took down. That along with Cloven Hoof I associate with FEAR quite a bit... I have no idea why but I played that game like 20 times back to back blasting metal to it years back, haha.

But holy hell this Graven Image song is new to me, is that demo collection floating around? That song definitely isn't on their 2005 compilation.

Well, I'm not just now jumping on Powersurge. I've known about them for years, it's just nobody else seems to mention them around here, so I thought I'd drop their name. Yeah, the Graven Image song is from a different demo that doesn't appear in their demo compilation. I'm not sure where you can download it these days but Strappado probably has it. Excellent for sure.

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MorbidBlood wrote:

So the winner is Destruction and Infernal Overkill is the motherfucking skullcrushing poserkilling satan-worshiping 666 FUCK YOU greatest german thrash record.

Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 2:16 pmPosts: 7845Location: The Land Down Under (no, not THAT one)

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 7:17 pm

I might have been too quick to judge Morgana Lefay, as Grand Materia is beating the ever loving crap out of me right now. I'm still not completely used to Rytkönen's vocals, but he does sound more like a higher pitched, crazier Chris Boltendhal to me now than the laryngitic hack I used to hear him as, so there's been some improvement on that department too.

Speaking of bands I usually dislike strongly, Evergrey's In Search of Truth seems to be a pretty cool album. Now, Evergrey is a band that has always rubbed me the wrong way, what with their non-riffs, boring songwriting and stupid lyrics, but ISOT seems to be different. The hooks are abound, vocals are powerful and energetic, and the atmosphere, while still retaining a somber and dark theme, it's more of a "strange things lurk in the dark, and my mind is slowly collapsing" feeling than the "life is bad and I'm a whino" tone that pervades their other releases. The fact that the record is a concept album about alien abductions must have something to do with it.

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Resident_Hazard wrote:

People do not just "have" self-esteem issues. An alien put a finger in your bum. You now see a stranger looking back from the mirror.

Last edited by Xlxlx on Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

I might have been too quick to judge Morgana Lefay, as Grand Materia is beating the ever loving crap out of me right now. I'm still not completely used to Rytkönen's vocals, but he does sound more like a higher pitched, crazier Chris Boltendhal to me now than the laryngitic hack I used to hear him as, so there's been some improvement on that department too.

Morgana Lefay's music was heavier than I expected when I first heard them, since the power metal angle threw me off. The first album I heard was Sanctified and yeah the vocals were not my thing at all on the first few listens. Somewhere down the line they clicked and that album really sold me on the band's chops.

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gomorro wrote:

Yesterday was the birthday of school pal and I met the chick of my sigh (I've talked about here before, the she-wolf I use to be inlove with)... Maaan she was using a mini-skirt too damn insane... Dude you could saw her entire soul every time she sit...

Every time I listen to Stratovarius's s/t I can't figure out why people hate it so much. I mean, it's corny as hell, and melodramatic, and it does suffer from some generic-isms, all that shit, but I think just about every song is pretty much as catchy as the herp.

I feel weird for it but it might be my number 2 Strato album after Episode. I dunno, maybe I heard it at a specific time and this is just rose-tinted glasses.

_________________and we are bornfrom the same womband hewn fromthe same stone - Primordial, "Heathen Tribes"

Oh hell yeah! Now this is what I'm talking about! This band is amazing! I had already heard some stuff by them, but have not checked out the Cosmovision album, and I gotta say, from what I'm hearing, this is fucking great!

Every time I listen to Stratovarius's s/t I can't figure out why people hate it so much. I mean, it's corny as hell, and melodramatic, and it does suffer from some generic-isms, all that shit, but I think just about every song is pretty much as catchy as the herp.

I feel weird for it but it might be my number 2 Strato album after Episode. I dunno, maybe I heard it at a specific time and this is just rose-tinted glasses.

Its production is ass, Timo Koplsiskwqjeqesdajanqiq gives the worst vocal performances of his life, the songs have no flow and seem to meander forever...actually, this could all be summed up by saying it's Stratovarius' St. Anger.

Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 2:16 pmPosts: 7845Location: The Land Down Under (no, not THAT one)

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:32 am

Empyreal wrote:

I hate Evergrey so much. You're basically touching on all the stuff I did when I got into these bands years ago, Xlxlx.

Evergrey usually grates on my nerves too, but In Search of Truth seems to be an exception to the rule for me. And hey, our tastes are rather similar, so I'm not that surprised

OzzyApu wrote:

Morgana Lefay's music was heavier than I expected when I first heard them, since the power metal angle threw me off. The first album I heard was Sanctified and yeah the vocals were not my thing at all on the first few listens. Somewhere down the line they clicked and that album really sold me on the band's chops.

Yeah, it seems like I didn't give them enough opportunities at first, but now I'm starting to like them. I'm not crazy about them, but they're unique and fun, and that's more than enough for me.

Also, I've been listening to Strato's Elysium sporadically for the past few days, and I'm seriously digging it right now, not to mention that Kotipelto's voice has grown on me a lot. You're right Emp; his ear for melody is quite impressive, and when he's at his best, Timo is a rock solid singer. Their new guitar player rips too, and I much prefer his chunkier guitar tone and more modern playing style over Tolkki's, and I actually even get a few Symphony X vibes from the riffing.

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Resident_Hazard wrote:

People do not just "have" self-esteem issues. An alien put a finger in your bum. You now see a stranger looking back from the mirror.

Start from "Nightfall in Middle Earth" and work backwards, mate. All of their 90's stuff is like gold to me. You might have to ease yourself into their earlier material, it's much more raw and the vocals aren't as refined. Less keyboards etc etc.

Start from "Nightfall in Middle Earth" and work backwards, mate. All of their 90's stuff is like gold to me. You might have to ease yourself into their earlier material, it's much more raw and the vocals aren't as refined. Less keyboards etc etc.

Start from "Nightfall in Middle Earth" and work backwards, mate. All of their 90's stuff is like gold to me. You might have to ease yourself into their earlier material, it's much more raw and the vocals aren't as refined. Less keyboards etc etc.

This is a new project from former Blacksword guitarist Alex Avdeev. He is joined here by Blacksword vocalist Serge Konev for some Siberian steel that sounds quite promising. I hope Alex gets a full length out of this.